Joe Cole aims dig at Postecoglou after ‘unbelievable’ Tottenham claim he heard
Joe Cole has taken a swipe at Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham look to end their season on a high.
Spurs have had a nightmare of a season, as they sit 17th in the Premier League with two games, having lost 20 of their 36 matches.
The North London giants hope to put that disappointment behind them by winning the UEFA Europa League, in which they face Manchester United in the final on 21 May.
While Postecoglou is still expected to be sacked as the Tottenham manager at the end of the season, he could keep his promise of winning a trophy in his second season with the Lilywhites next week in Bilbao.
He will be hopeful that his players, including Micky van de Ven, do not face further injury setbacks, with James Maddison among those who have already been ruled out.
Cole mocks Postecoglou for Van de Ven’s injuries
Speaking about the key attributes modern-day defenders need, Carlton Cole stressed the importance of pace for centre-backs, naming Van de Ven as a great example.
Expressing his admiration for the Tottenham star, he claimed that the Dutchman’s recovery rate is ‘unbelievable’.
“His [Van de Ven’s] recovery rate is unbelievable”, Carlton said on The Dressing Room podcast (12 May).
| Matches | Goals Condeded | Clean Sheets | Yellow Cards | Minutes |
| 20 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 1522′ |
Joe Cole, though, was quick to respond with a witty remark, stating that Postecoglou has already worn Van de Ven’s hamstrings out.
“Ange has burnt his hamstrings out, hasn’t he?”, Cole said before bursting out into laughter.
Van de Ven has struggled with injuries at Tottenham
Van de Ven has been a key player for Tottenham since joining them from Wolfsburg for a deal worth up to £43million in 2023.
However, the Netherlands international has struggled with fitness problems this season, with hamstring injuries restricting him to just 11 starts in the Premier League.
While the 24-year-old is currently fit and available to play, he has remained an unused substitute in Spurs’ last three league games, as Postecoglou is seemingly protecting him to keep him available for the European fixtures.
Van de Ven started in both the legs of Tottenham’s Europa League semi-final tie against Bodo/Glimt and is now expected to be in the starting line-up when they face Manchester United at San Mames next week.